


Lost Family

by kissxsleep



Series: Bitties of the Mt. Ebott Area [7]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, No bitties this time around, because Granny technically has a bunch of them in the form of her 'grandbitties'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-15 09:22:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9228626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissxsleep/pseuds/kissxsleep
Summary: The chronicles of W.D. Gaster and his experiences living with Persephone Arietta.





	1. First Interactions

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale (Toby Fox does). The bittybone au was created by @fucken-crybaby on tumblr and can be found at: http://bittybones-au.tumblr.com/  
> (No bitty disclaimers because none of them will be appearing big time in this story since it's Gaster-centric)
> 
> I decided to give you guys a taste of what's to come with Lost Family. I'll work on getting at least Ch2 up tonight before turning my focus onto Glittering tomorrow.  
> Anyways,  
> A couple of things:  
> This is a short story not a side story (The former is 5-7 chapters long while the later is 10-15 chapters long)  
> I have crafted my own lore for the game by filling in the blanks with my own ideas. (No guilt about this whatsoever)  
> Effervescent is basically the monster equivalent of heroin that is 3x as strong and twice as addictive.  
> I will not be posting the last 4 chapters of this until we reach a certain point in Burned because spoilers. Chapters 1-3 will just catch us up (somewhat) to Burned.  
> Also, the spacing of 'where' is intentional :3

              Gaster hadn’t realized how off human voices could be at times. He recognized that certain humans spoke in different languages. This was understandable given _how_ many there were- too many in his honest opinion. Still, human voices sometimes managed to surprise him with how monster like they sounded. Their rough noises and grunts reminded him of monsters who had long since died during the Bloodlight War and the follow-up attacks, and some of them had permanent distortion due to chronic or sudden illness.

              _She sounds like she has gravel in her chest._ Gaster glared at the phone in the petite, average sized human female standing too close to King Asgore. The human female spoke with a person she labeled “Granny” with permanent agitation in the way she stood and moved. She would even dare to touch his majesty’s chest when she got particularly anxious. The older female human voice over the phone heard the anxious tremble in the younger human’s voice and tried its best to soothe her.

              _An old, withering skeleton soothed a young monster child in a dark cavern. Both coughed and wheezed due to the poison racing through their bodies. Their bodies had a faint, sickly yellow tinge that continued to darken into an orange color._

_They weren’t the only ones in such a condition. All of the monsters who had been with the 4 th and 5th human- who had welcomed them into their homes and farms with open arms and gentle smiles- were dying in the castle while Gaster and his scientists desperately scrambled in an attempt to save as many of the afflicted that they could._

_**Asgore…** Gaster’s mind wandered as he administered medication to a whimpering,  young monster with her belly swollen with child. There was no telling how much damage would be done to her offspring. Stars, he didn’t even know if she would survive the next ten minutes, but his mind kept wandering back to his king- a king too kind for his own good, too earnest to see the snakes in his garden. King Asgore now faced two perfectly healthy teenage humans that were armed with the weapons they stole from the dog clans. **Please forget mercy just this once. Let them die for these sins. **_

_The young mother and her offspring died in his arms._

_The older skeleton and young monster child had turned to dust long before he could ever think of reaching him. The scientists were covered from foot to face in the mixed remains of former friends and family. Not a single scientists or doctor had a dry eye as the supply of antidote began to dwindle **More needs to be made….**_

_Did he take his medical expertise away from active treatment to ensure that every drop of the antidote was the right strength? Would staying really make much of a difference? Which option saved more lives? Could he even really calculate that? No, not really. Everyone was reacting differently to the poison. Skeletons, most of whom were taking out healthy chips of themselves to be used to restart their boneline after their death, were the first to crumble under the weight._

_Gaster’s own family had already long since died. His wife’s had been killed by the humans themselves during the first confrontation. **Thank god she’s at home.** His family had always tried to make him feel guilty about moving to Hotland. He did it to be closer to work, but they resented the fact that he and his wife ate lab grown vegetables instead of the soil grown ones in the Waterfall caverns- despite the fact the soil they boasted about was made in the very lab they detested. This small blessing had spared him and his wife from this poison. They had been passed over, but they would soon become the only remaining skeletons in the entire Underground…._

_No._

_He would restore the clans given time. Unlike the animal clans who had no asexual way of reproduction, the skeleton clans would thrive once more. They would flourish with time. They would dammit. It would just take time…_

_“Doctor Gaster.” His colleague, one of the last members of the dying out dinosaur clans, coughed up granules of dust as he approached. His veins were the sickly orange color of the soon to be dead, but he still carried a new batch of antidote in his shaking hands, “A couple the-“ He coughed once more, “-infected scientists, myself included, went to make more antidote.” He stumbled forward when he tried to take another step._

_“Alphys.” Gaster caught him easily. His voice went up three pitches in concern, “You and the others should be resting. Moving around will-“_

_“I’m already dying Gaster.” Alphys wheezed, “Just please…” The scientist writhed coughing for a couple of seconds as his mouth began to turn to dust, “…try to save my son… **please** …” He began to fade._

_“Alphys!” Gaster found himself only holding his dear friend’s lab coat, “Dammit.” His raced across the afflicted until he spotted Alphys’s wife- who had only been pregnant for two of the necessary 56 months- gingerly cradling her first child. She was- mercifully- fine, but her son deteriorated bit by bit her arms, “I’m here to help.” Gaster said when she looked up at him with fear in her eyes._

_Gaster tried._

_He did._

_He tried even harder than he had with the other patients, but…_

_His dear friend’s son turned to dust._

_When the room was filled with more dust than the recovering, the last of dinosaur clans had been dwindled down to three families, and a collection of skeleton bone chips filled his pockets, Gaster sank down against a cavern wall, limp with exhaustion, defeat…and…._

_**Burning with anger only a human could match.**_

_He cringed when he felt determination begin to develop in his core. His ribs creaked and warped until he calmed himself down. Gaster had foolishly exposed himself to too much determination while working with the first three human SOULs he had collected. It was only a matter of time until his body warped out of shape and wouldn’t return to its correct form. **I must hold on…for all those who matter to me.** Gaster pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his face into his arms. He didn’t cry. He couldn’t. That would destroy what fragmented morale the room had left._

_The dim, suffering silence that permeated through the room weighed heavily on him. He was the Royal Scientist. **He** should’ve noticed the change in the food as the humans kept dosing the soil with their toxins. **He** should’ve detected the pattern in sickness radiating through the Underground. All of this failure was his, and he had lost everything because of it. His family was dead. The skeleton clans were mere shards of bone in his pocket. There was enough dust in the cavern to play in like they were in Snowdin….Perhaps he could cry. Morale seemed to be nonexistent in the shrinking cavern despite the recovering being smothered in love by their relatives. _

_Suddenly, the cavern exploded with….with…with…life._

_Gaster rose during the abrupt cheering. A somber, ashen-faced king entered the cavern with two human SOULs- the disgusting seats of human power- in hand. His armor was battered. Fatigue weighed heavily on his shoulders. His left leg dragged with each step he took, but he was alive._

_The people cheered despite his sallow face. The King approached Gaster. As he drew closer, the Royal Scientist took note of the blood staining his person. That blood would haunt the king for the rest of his life, and Gaster knew that. That guilt was why he had wanted to be the one to strike down the bastards who did this to his people. Their age, their mental state, their experience and inexperience, none of that mattered to him in light of their terrible crimes. They had destroyed parts of his home and expected to get away with it. The primal satisfaction at seeing the SOULs- ones that wouldn’t be treated as kindly as the deep green one- ripped from the chests of their former humans found itself being followed by guilt._

_**I am sorry old friend….This should’ve been my crime to bear.** The SOULs felt particularly heavy in his hands when the King handed them to him. They had been somewhat corrupted by the twisted actions of the humans they had been attached to. It would take some time to remove the impurities, and the process would cause the souls great distress. **GOOD.**_

_“I hope that these can lead us to a better future.” The kind, foolish king couldn’t even bear to look at the remains of the subjects he believed he had failed, “I know you will use them well.”_

_“I will.” Gaster clamped his hands around them and met his king’s unsteady, weary gaze, “I will break the barrier- I promise.”_

              _Determination flickered in his chest dangerously again. He tried his best to ignore it. Gaster still had too many things to accomplish to lose himself to that disgusting feature of humanity. He still needed to find a way to save monsterkind. He needed to have his first child with his wife. He needed to restore his people._

_He had so many things to do, and so little time to do them._

How funny it was….He had lost his wife mere decades before the barrier would be broken by the one species he detested the most. In his madness to reach the surface- to make humanity _pay_ \- he had lost himself to the tile floors of his laboratory…..so much so that his own son had been shocked by how much he had deteriorated during that final visit.

              _“you could always fucking come see him.” Sans’s body had always been frail despite his HP being average. Gaster blamed it on the determination he had been exposed to leaking into his reproductive capabilities. The damn substance had also left his younger son more than a little…stupid to be blunt. Perhaps he was underestimating the lad, but Papyrus had shown himself unable to do anything besides to puzzles- though the puzzles he made were spectacular when he put his mind to it. Still, he had other things to worry about besides his youngest, easily manipulated son’s mental capabilities. His oldest child’s powerful magic was something to be worried about- especially since he struggled with controlling it during fits of human levels of rage. Already, the air in the lab crackled with untapped energy that Sans unwittingly drew towards him._

 _“I am busy with my research.” Gaster-_ oh he would regret this later _\- easily dismissed his son without a care in the world, “I cannot forsake the many for two monsters.”_

_“We’re not just two monsters.” Sans roared, cracking the paneling beside Gaster, “We’re your **sons** \- unless you’ve been down here so long you forgot that.”_

_“Sans.” Gaster reprimanded his son for the slip in magical control. He eyed the damaged paneling worriedly, “You must take strides to control yourself better. There is no need to get so upset over such things.”_

_“No **n e e d**?” His son, who hated speaking in Case because of how it made his voice sound, slipped in the ancient language without a second thought, “T h e r e  i s   **p l e n t y** o f  n e e d  f o r   t h i s  k i n d  o f  r e a c t i o n  o l d  m a n. Do you think we don’t miss her too?” The cracking got worse, “Papyrus cries himself to sleep just about every fucking- still, and guess who’s the one taking care of him? Not his **f a t h e r**. Nooo…” Gaster stood up to tell his son to calm down once more, “It’s **me** the kid who’s also the one paying the bills by working about twenty fucking jobs because his old man his too busy playing Brainiac big shot to be the man his wife thought she married.”_

_“That is too far Sans.” Gaster snapped._

_“You want to see too far!?” Sans roared._

_The paneling shattered and crackled with electricity._

_**No**._

_Gaster felt the buildup of determination as the machine behind him short circuited. He only had seconds to react. Flinging himself forward and slamming into his son, Gaster took in as much of the determination as he possibly could. There was too much- too much- too- too too too toooooo much._

_**Where?**_

**** _It had to go somewhere._

_Where?               Where?               Where?_

_Where?               WHERE!? **WHERE!?**_

**_Wait…..                                                         THERE._ **

_Gaster expanded his melting body as far as it would reach and gathered up as much of the determination within his magic he could hold. Then he teleported into the depths of the void. The determination went off like fireworks, breaking his bones and nearly ripping him apart and then…_

_….then….._

_BLACKNESS._

_Nothing but **blackness**. NothingnothingNothingNOTHING._

“Gaster!” Strong, familiar hands clamped down on his shoulders. Gaster looked up to find King Asgore looking down at him worriedly, “What’s wrong?”

              Gaster looked down and realized that he had curled his ends in too tight. Dark, black ooze- a mockery of human ‘blood’- ran down his form. He let his body go lax as he sagged down somewhat.

              “Just bad memories.” His voice had changed over the years. The determination had burned his throat too much for him to walk away undamaged. King Asgore cocked his head and gave him a disbelieving look, “That was all it was. I swear.”

              “Gaster…” The paws on his shoulders tightened, “You can tell me anything.”

              _No your majesty…I really can’t._

              Gaster hadn’t been able to tell his old friend anything for over two hundred years.

              “Where is the human?” Gaster tried to change the subject. As much as he disliked how close the young female was to his dear friend, he knew the shift would distract his friend.

              “She’s speaking with her grandmother outside in a more private setting. We’ve got a game plan formed, but Olivia wants to discuss some personal family drama with her as well.” The fond smile on his king’s face made Gaster’s warped SOUL twist in fury, “She will do her best to assist you- as will her grandmother.”

              “Mmmm….” Gaster hummed noncommittally. Quite frankly, just the sight of that disgusting light blue SOUL in the young human’s chest made him seethe with fury, “How have you moved on so quickly? Have you forgotten what they’ve done to us.”

              A dark, foreboding look crossed King Asgore’s face. Gaster quickly realized that he had meandered onto a landmine without meaning to. _Fool, he was the one who carries the guilt of our people on his shoulders!_ Gaster regretted his words immediately.

              “I have not forgotten what has been done to us in the past, but I refuse to judge the many for the actions of the few.” King Asgore took his paws away from Gaster’s shoulder. The former Royal Scientist felt a rift form between them, and he knew for certain then that his friend walked towards the future while he clung to the past like an effervescent addict would to their needle, “Gaster, I will not ask for you to instantly forgive and forget what has been done to our people, but I will ask that you treat those who would help you with the respect they deserve- even if you are not fond of them.”

              “Of course your majesty.” Gaster lied through his teeth.

              He would never be able to respect the small cyan SOUL that had his dear king wrapped around it and willing to bend over backwards for it. The human female herself hadn’t given him anything to respect really. She seemed ignorant of the world beyond her own, and she hadn’t- so far- displayed much in the way of intelligent and independent thought.

              She wouldn’t impress that much in the following days either. King Asgore seemed thoroughly infatuated with the young woman, but Gaster didn’t understand the appeal. Perhaps it was his fragmented memory- Alphys was struggling to stabilize his memory wavelengths- that contributed to his continuous distrust of the female human and the older female voice that crackled over the phone.

              Gaster didn’t get to properly meet Persephone Arietta when he was supposed to, but he did get a good look at her- which he would forget in a couple of days when Alphys pushed his memory wavelengths too far and fractured them.

              She was taller than he expected- taller than himself actually. She carried herself mostly upright and looked nothing like the grandmothers that appeared on TV. Dressed head-to-toe in black leather, the surprisingly young- if a bit wrinkled- old woman desperately tried to talk with his oldest son during the young skeleton’s near explosion. Her old, dark eyes tried to reason with the short skeleton, but Sans wouldn’t give her the time of day.

              From there, the woman with steel colored hair faded into the background of Gaster’s life. She had to go take care of her granddaughter’s bitties and child while Olivia and Asgore tried their best to patch things over. Then, Gaster was too preoccupied with trying to earn his sons’ trust again to really pay the woman much mind. She had become a name to him. She meant nothing- not a single thing…

              Persephone Arietta was a surprisingly warm person despite the leather clothes she wore while she rode her motorcycle. In fact, Gaster marveled to see her in bright, cheery, Christmas colors when he laid eyes on her again around Christmas time. The shadowy figure his mind had created in place of her actual appearance- pieced together by what he heard from others- created a tatted up biker woman with mountains of wrinkles and bone white hair. This woman looked nothing like that.

              Gaster felt welcomed in her home, and he tried his best to hide the anger he was feeling.

              The former Royal Scientist had returned to his lab to ensure that all of the pieces of the skeleton clans were in place. Two pieces had been missing. Gaster knew exactly what short, stocky hands had lifted the precious parts of history from his lab without a care in the world. Still, his king had requested that he try and be personable for this little trip. Besides the brief argument he had with his son, Gaster kept to the back corners of the house.

              “Dr. Gaster.”

              Gaster turned to find the tall woman looking down at him with a beaming smile. She gestured for him to follow her. Paranoia set in as he reluctantly followed her into the kitchen. He was surprised to find a plate of food sitting on the counter.

              “You didn’t eat much when we all ate.” Persephone leaned against the counter, “You look a little on the thin side- if you don’t mind me commenting. Please, eat.”

              Gaster glowered at the food before glaring at her.

              The deep blue SOUL in her chest would imply that she be honest, but he had seen firsthand what humans could do to food in an attempt to harm a monster.

              “I am fine.” Gaster said, voice clipped and curt.

              “I insist.” Persephone took a step forward, “I don’t let hungry stomachs stay in my home Dr. Gaster. If it’ll make you more comfortable, I’ll prove that it isn’t poisoned.” Gaster startled while she took a bite of some of the food, “See? Perfectly fine.”

              “….” Gaster slumped down further.

              “I’ll leave you alone then.” Persephone sighed, “Just please try to eat.”

              With that, the older human left him alone in the kitchen. Gaster poked at the food like he was a child. Reluctantly, he took a couple of bites…..His mind went to warm memories that he wished he could forget. If he only knew a life of harsh cruelties, he couldn’t hurt this much.

              Why in the world Gaster chose to live with the older human was beyond him.

              Maybe it was the food. Maybe it was how secluded her home was. Maybe it was how relaxed the woman seemed to be. She didn’t seem to mind his apparent annoyance and disgust with her, and she didn’t snap at him over little things.

              “Gaster.” Persephone snapped her fingers to get his attention, “We’re going to Grayridge remember?”

              “My memory has been fixed.” Gaster grumbled.

              “It doesn’t look like it.” Persephone teased, tossing him a helmet, “Come on.”

              Like usual, Gaster tried to destroy the side car of the motorcycle as best he could with his gaze alone. It didn’t explode like he wanted it to, and he still had to get into it. His drooping body couldn’t handle riding bitch behind the old woman.

              “Ruby doesn’t bite Gaster.” Persephone pulled her helmet on, “Now come on.”

              _She’s gotten quite informal hasn’t she?_ Gaster pulled himself into his seat and tugged the helmet over his skull. _Hmph. Humans_


	2. Connecting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch1
> 
> So....I got distracted by my original content project I'm working on in the background...that was why this wasn't finished until this morning. Sorry -_-" Going to go work on Glittering now.

              The first time something exploded in the back yard, Persephone surprised Gaster by not freaking out. He had accidentally fumbled a test tube while mixing chemicals and some of the substance splashed into another beaker, causing a small scale explosion. A massive black spot ruined her lovely green back yard, and a giant hole was situated in one wall of her cute little shed, but Persephone merely walked over and helped Gaster stand up straight once more.

              “You okay?” Persephone brushed the dirt and small debris off of him, “Should we take you to a hospital?”

              “No. I managed to teleport most of the explosion into the void.” Gaster recoiled from her touch. While they had lived together for the past two months, the skeleton monster still few more than a little uncomfortable with how easily she touched him, “I apologize for the damage done to your shed.”

              “It’s fine.” Persephone waved at the hole like her gesture would make the damage disappear, “I can just call Joey and have her fix it.” The old woman looked around the shed, “This place does need to be cleaned up though. I’ll go grab the broom and dust pan.”

              “I can clean it up myself.” Gaster protested.

              “You should sit down for a little bit actually. Something just exploded in your face.” Persephone patted his back.

              He tried his best to argue with the woman, but- like her offspring’s offspring- she had a stubborn streak that Gaster couldn’t match in his wildest dreams. Thus, Gaster sulked on the back porch and watched as she methodically cleaned up his damaged “lab” with steady hands while sipping on some tea she had made. Ever the silent introvert, Gaster didn’t say a word to her as she passed by him and worked. Persephone didn’t push for conversation anyways.

              _She’s going to set off that cough of hers again._ Gaster noted, watching has her breathing became more irregular. Apparently, Persephone found herself plagued by colds often in her old age, so the former Royal Scientist had grown used to the sounds of her coughing throughout the house. Gaster disliked humans. He really did. The medical practitioner in him wanted to help her though. _I shall not._ It insisted.

              “Ah.” Persephone sat down on the steps beside him and picked her cold tea up, “Done.”

              Gaster, who had been more than a little startled at how easily he had gotten lost in his own thoughts, edged away from her. Persephone didn’t pay that small motion too much mind however. She merely relaxed and stretched her legs out.

              “I think most of your equipment is dead.” She sighed into her mug, “Do you want me to buy you new equipment?”

              _Most of it was destroyed or damaged in the blast._ The small pieces of equipment Gaster had managed to obtain from King Asgore were easily some of the cheapest instruments he ever hard to work with in a laboratory setting. Not that he wasn’t grateful for the King’s contributions- really a peace offering between the two. He yearned for better equipment…but…The price tags were high enough that Gaster balked at the idea.

              “I would not presume to ask so much from you.” Gaster griped his cup tightly. He still felt uneasy speaking with the woman. True, in his short time in her home, he had come to respect her. She still worked hard despite being retired and maintained a lovely garden and fifteen motorcycles with an expert hand. Respect didn’t equal fondness however, “The equipment is expensive.”

              “I don’t mind you know. I am rich.” Persephone pointed out.

              “I will be fine.”

              “No you won’t.” Persephone leaned towards him, “You’ll go crazy because you have nothing to do. Busybodies like you can’t take breaks- you scoff at them.”

              “…hmph.” Gaster’s face turned downward into a snarl as he looked away, “Again you surprise me with how presumptuous you are.”

              “One can live life on the edge or as far away from it as possible, but the person who stands in the middle is a fucking idiot.” Persephone retorted, “My intuition isn’t wrong.”

              “Oh really?” The dry question fell from his mouth before he could stop it. _She will kick you out of her home you fool._

              “Really.” Persephone took another sip of her tea and didn’t get upset, “I can tell that something is eating at you, and that thing is what’s driving you to keep looking forward. Does it have anything to do with that case?” Gaster flinched when she mentioned the case of bone fragments he had brought with him, “It does doesn’t it?”

              “I fail to see how that is any problem of yours.” Gaster griped, trying his best to hide away from her eyes that saw more than he could have ever wanted them too.

              “You live with me. Your problems are my problems.”

              “They really aren’t.”

              “Oh but they are.”

              The two had come to a stalemate. Both stayed silent while the other drank their tea. Eventually, Gaster realized that he was being more than a little unreasonable given the fact that she was correct.

              In truth, he struggled to create the tank he would need to begin growing skeletons. Unlike the walking, breathing incubator that Sans had placed two of the fragments in, a nonliving tank would be much harder to make without damaging the fragment. The hardest part was creating the mixture that the piece would grow in. That was what had exploded in his face.

              “I am trying to restore my people.” Gaster finally admitted, too weary to keep acting like a child, “After the 4th and 5th human came to the Underground, skeletons were reduced to my own small family of four. I hope to bring them back by growing them in tanks, but…I suppose there is no point in trying to make a mixture when I don’t even have a tank to put them in.”

              “Ahh…right. Skeleton monsters can just rip off parts of themselves to have kids.” Persephone hummed, “Joey mentioned that I think….It’s an admirable goal- trying to bring your people back.”

              “I cannot bring them “back”.” Gaster snapped, “The people who died when those disgusting humans poisoned our food supply and watched as they _died in agony_ cannot be returned to this life. I can _hopefully_ restore their bonelines, but any new skeletons formed will be their own new person and have none of the memories of their predecessors. I will still be alone.”

              Gaster paused in horror. He had said too much without meaning to in a fit of rage.

              _No wonder Sans has such a temper._ The errant thought almost made him laugh despite the terror coiling in his stomach. He watched Persephone chew on that explosion of emotion fearfully. Humans were unpredictable creatures on a good day, and this woman continued to boggle him without a second thought.

              “I’m sorry that my words came out like that.” Persephone said at last. Gaster’s eyes widened, “I didn’t think before speaking. I hope you can forgive me.”

              “It’s fine…” Gaster’s words trailed off. _She apologized…she actually…apologized?_

              “So you need some kind of tank right?” Persephone didn’t even hesitate to continue. Normally, this conversation would’ve ended flat on its face then and there, but that Arietta stubbornness came out, “Do you know where to get one?”

              “No. The only ones I know are in my lab.” Gaster decided to let the issue drop.

              “Your lab….would some of your equipment be in there too?” Persephone cocked her head.

              “It would be.” Gaster couldn’t quite follow her.

              “How about we go pick things up from your lab then?” Persephone offered.

              Gaster blinked.

              _Why….hadn’t I thought of that before now?_ Gaster sighed.

              “Would that work?” Persephone asked.

              “It would actually.” Gaster replied, looking down into his empty cup, “It would work wonderfully. I won’t be able to carry everything and teleport at the same time however.”

              “I can borrow a truck from someone.” Persephone stood up and took Gaster’s empty cup from him, “I’ve got a lot of friends who drive pick-ups. One of them is bound to help out.”

              “You do realize it’s a five hours drive to the barrier and a three day trip to my laboratory on foot right?” Gaster looked up at her.

              “I’ll figure something out.” Persephone shrugged and looked up to the sky as she thought, “Hm…maybe can borrow that supped-up golf cart Gary has. We could use it to haul your equipment back….”

              Gaster quietly followed Persephone as she walked back into her home.

              He hadn’t returned to the Underground since King Asgore and his human lover plucked him from its depths. The prideful part of him wanted to return to it and never see the light of day again just to spite the world. The genuine part of him just wanted to go home- just for a little bit. During his time of fractured memories, the world had moved on without him. Maybe returning back to where it all started could help him put some final things to rest.

              Persephone, being the efficient quick thinker that she was, managed to secure them all of the things they would need to enter the Underground from a mode of transportation to permission from the people working on building the Underground as a museum/vacation spot. Gaster had never seen someone capable of getting things done that quickly. Even King Asgore would stumble in asking for a favor or fail to elaborate on things enough to get approval, but the human just breezed right through conversations and negotiations. The years she had lived wore down on her otherwise perfect posture, but they also added a unique brand of wisdom to her eyes Gaster never expected to find in a human being.

              Gaster stared at her while she looked around the barrier caverns. She examined every inch her eyes could see carefully, but she didn’t seem worried about going into the Underground alone with a monster who was known to dislike humans. _I can’t tell if she’s stupid or brave._ Gaster slid closer towards her to get her attention. They still had a lot of moving to get done, and he wasn’t here to act as a tour guide.

              “This place is beautiful.” Persephone breathed before Gaster could open his mouth. The old human looked over her shoulder at him, “What a shame that it was probably the place monsters hated the most.”

              “It was.” Gaster admitted. Monsters had despised the cavern, and before New Home was built, some of the severely depressed would come into this cavern to kill themselves in hopes that their dust might be able to escape the barrier, “I doubt any people would like a permanent reminder of limitations in their backyard.”

              _You’re not here to play tour guide._

              “Hmm…” Persephone smiled sadly at the beautiful rock walls around her, “Well, we won’t get anything done if I sit here staring at walls.” She laughed and gestured to the mule, “Let’s hit the road. It’ll take us a couple of days to get to your lab right.”

              “Yes.” Gaster slid onto the vehicle hesitantly. He knew that Persephone was capable of driving, but he doubted her ability to drive _safely_.

              Their plan was a simple one. They would spent the first day getting through the massive city that surrounded New Home. Then they would hit Hotland where it would take them two days to navigate safely to his lab within the depths of the boiling area. The two would gather his equipment- larger pieces would be broken down into smaller components for travel- stay in his nearby living quarters before heading back. It truly was a simple plan, but any other human probably would’ve balked at the idea.

              “Wow.” Persephone looked at the uniquely shaped buildings that monsters used to live in, “All of this is carved from rock?”

              “We don’t exactly have wood.” Gaster reminded her, cutting his eyes her way.

              “But you do have plant fibers and recyclables- sometimes even small bits of wood. Some humans are actually working on making wood from recyclable materials.” Persephone leaded back into her seat as she drove, “Since monsters are very advanced compared to humans, I thought you guys might’ve discovered that.”

              “We preferred to use recyclable materials for pencils and paper- the stray container as well.” _Why am I encouraging her?_ Gaster chalked it up to the scientist in him wanting to explain things all of the time, “Why would we create a wood-like substance when what we had was serviceable enough? That would have been a waste of resources and energy.”

              “You never know.” Persephone shrugged, “Sometimes chasing rabbits leads you to a treasure chest.”

              “What kind of saying is that?” Gaster turned his full face towards her and cocked his head.

              “My own.” Persephone flashed a rather insufferable, cocky smirk at him, “I used it to encourage Joey whenever she worried about projects leading nowhere.”

              “Joey.” Gaster paused, “You mention that granddaughter a lot.” He grumbled. His mind couldn’t separate the short, surly woman from his son’s side, so just the mere mention of her name made his chest twist.

              “She’s my pride and joy. I know I shouldn’t play favorites, but it’s hard to not like her.” Persephone gave him an encouraging glance, “I know she seems rather standoffish right now. Once you and Sans start to fix your relationship more, she’ll warm up to you. For now, she just wants to support the man she loves, and who can fault her for that?”

              “Please do not remind me that my son is dating a _human_.” Gaster spat.

              “Well, hate to say it, but he is.” Persephone shrugged her left shoulder. She reached out and patted his shoulder with her right hand, “Humans aren’t all twisted monsters that’ll kill, kill, kill you know. There are actually some that can’t even kill a bug without crying.”

              Gaster made an aggravated noise instead of gracing that with a response.

              “There are saints and sinners in all groups Dr. Gaster.” _Oh, the title again. I’m in trouble._ “I won’t ask that you suddenly recover from hundreds of years of constantly having humans torment you. Just _please_ be more willing to open your mind. You never know the kinds of friends you can make if you take labels off of people.”

              “I don’t want friends.”

              “Oh really?” Persephone slammed on the brakes suddenly. Gaster flew forward some. He turned to chew her out, but the silent fury burning in her eyes told him to keep his mouth shut, “You don’t want friends? Then why do you always peer into the kitchen any time King Asgore calls? Why do you watch me interact with other people looking like you want to say something?” The old woman began to drive once more, “You are lonely Gaster, and that knowledge is the only thing that keeps my patience with you from ending and-“ Persephone pressed the breaks as a coughing fit began, “Gah.”

              “Calm down.” Gaster’s hand glowed a faint green color. He extended it forward, but Persephone merely held up a hand, “I can clear sinus congestion you know.”

              “I don’t need it.” Persephone cleared her throat, “I just need to not get all worked up. Besides, human immune systems crumble if they’re exposed to magical healing on a constant basis.”

              “I haven’t ever healed you before.” Gaster growled, hands wanting to fix what was a simple issue.

              “Yes, but if you start now, you won’t stop.” Persephone coughed softly a few more times, “I’m already in my twilight years Gaster. I’d rather enjoy the time I have left instead of rushing death forward.”

              “You assume that I would keep healing you.” Gaster crossed his arms.

              “You’re the one that just offered in the first place.”

              _Persephone 101               Gaster 0_

              Her comment did remind Gaster of something that genuinely concerned him. Humans did not live long at all in comparison to monsters. His son’s new flame would die long before he would, and- despite how rough their relationship was- Gaster worried about how he would handle such a development. A lot of Sans’s happiness surrounded the “family” he had begun with her. What would happen when that family was buried beneath the ground?

              “How do humans grieve?” Gaster asked.

              “Grieve what?” Persephone shot him a confused look.

              “Loss.” _Verdana’s dust was collected into her favorite vase. The short, bubbly farmer girl always brought a smile to his face and never told him he was ridiculous for wanting to be the first skeleton scientist. She brought so much to his life….and…_ “How do humans deal with loss?”

              “I can’t answer that for you Gaster.” Persephone turned her attention back to the road, “Every human is different about how they grieve. Some fall into a crippling depression and never drag themselves back on. Some get enraged and hate the world. Others like to pretend that if they don’t feel anything pain can’t touch them. There are also different types of loss to think about as well, and how much what was lost meant to the loser can affect the outcome.” A sad, bitter smile flickered across his human companion’s face. It made him curious.

              “What have you lost?” Gaster questioned.

              “You first.” Persephone said firmly.

              “Many friends, my wife, my sons, my sanity most days…my home.” Gaster looked at the passing scenery sadly, “I’ve lost just about everything.”

              “Well…guess you should try and get them back.”

              “It’s never that simple.”

              “It isn’t.” Persephone agreed, “But wouldn’t you rather try and remember the good times instead of focusing on the bad ones? I know that’s what I do when I think about my parents. They died decades ago, and their death almost crippled my twin and I. We spend four days of every year reminiscing about them instead of thinking about how they aren’t with us anymore.” Persephone placed a calm hand on Gaster’s upper arm, “And you can make amends with your sons Gaster. Papyrus doesn’t hate you, and Sans doesn’t either. They’re just…hurt. Thankfully, you monsters have a lot of time to fix things.”

              She sounded like she actually believed that. Gaster didn’t know how that made him feel.

              They spent the rest of the trip in quiet, calm silence. Occasionally, Persephone would ask about a structure or a piece of art she noticed, and Gaster- surprisingly- would answer her questions. They never talked about serious topics again. The past stayed in the past. The future stayed in the unknown. For the first time in a long time, Gaster was grounded in the present- even though the deep blue SOUL radiating beside him tempted his mind to return to the past.

              _Humans…are…fascinating._

That new thought changed what would’ve been a simple run and grab into a learning experience for both parties.


	3. Unwanted Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/ links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> NOTE: My @kissxsleep tumblr is now 18+ and no longer fanfic oriented. @kissxawake is SFW and will focus heavily on my fics. 
> 
> To avoid burn out, I'm going to write one chapter a day until Lost is done and then figure things out from there. We've got a ton of chapters to get through after all.

              If there was one thing Gaster learned quickly while living with this odd human, it was that humans still held the position of oddest bipedal creatures. Their minds seemed to move in long, winding curves to achieve their goals with the occasional painfully straight line that didn’t care how much damage such a direct path created. Humans also seemed to be some of the most masochistic individuals out there.

              “If you do not like your eldest granddaughter, why allow her to visit along with her sisters?” Gaster questioned from where he skulked in the shadows of the house while Persephone tended to her garden, “It’s obvious her presence makes you agitated and uncomfortable.”

              “Because you can’t just leave one of the three out. Despite everything that child has done to them, Joey and Livvy are still fiercely protective of her.” Persephone explained patiently, “Those two would puff out their cheeks and throw a fit if they thought I was being too hard on her.”

              “You are being too hard on her.” Gaster stated bluntly.

              “But they don’t know that. Nadia’s the type to keep her problems to herself after all.” Persephone let out a low hum of annoyance, “I honestly don’t know if I appreciate or resent that fact. All of this might be easier to deal with if she’d just snap and lose it with me already, but no…I honestly doubt she has a heart to feel hatred with most days.”

              “That is…exceptionally cold for you.” Gaster frowned. He understood removing one’s own feelings from drama and pain, but he also knew the repercussions of distancing yourself from family.

              “I’m simply tired of having my emotions trampled on all of the time. I gave Clara everything- _everything_. All I asked was for her children- all of them- to receive the same, but she and Daniel simply take a child, break her into a machine, and act like they’ve done nothing wrong.” Persephone snorted.

              “Then it isn’t her fault.” Gaster pointed out the glaring flaw in her logic.

              “At first it wasn’t.” Persephone agreed, “I told them to quit taking her to galas so much, to quit trying to make her the golden child. Then, she grew into that role herself. Don’t tell me she didn’t have another option.” Persephone held up her hand, “Because I’m tired of everyone assuming I never gave her outs. She never took them, and in all honesty, she’s no better than her mother- cutthroat, too eager to please, and money hungry. Quite frankly, I’d remove her from my will if I could, but my girls would throw a fit if I did.”

              Gaster sulked further back into the shadows at the quick reprimand. It was blatantly obvious to any outsider that what she said was more than a little false, but she was so caught up in the past that trying to get through to her would be like pulling nails out of iron. Quite frankly, Gaster didn’t have the patience for that.

              “Now Mr. Twenty Questions, it’s my turn.” Persephone stretched a little, “You said you grew up on a farm?”

              “I did. Skeletons don’t really require as much food and water as the average monster. We can also lift more and work longer hours, making us perfect for labor intensive jobs. Thus, a lot of my kind farmed. It really was the best option for most skeletons anyways.” Gaster shrugged, “I was one of the few exceptions that wanted to do something more.”

              “By becoming a scientist? Seems like quite the leap.” Persephone began to tug at weeds around the roots of a small…something tree. Gaster didn’t know much about surface plants.

              “Not really. It just required more brain power. I could work in the labs for days without breaks for sleep and only occasional pauses for nourishment. Essentially, the job was just as hard, but in a different way.” Gaster looked down at his gangly body. While it was true his experience had warped his frame into the glob like shape it was then, he hadn’t exactly been the thickest boned skeleton after he began to work in the labs, “The scientists who worked under me often made mistakes I had to fix, so I spent a lot of time in the labs.”

              “Being confined like that sounds miserable.” Persephone made a face, “If there was one thing I can say I did right, it was travelling.”

              “Ah yes….of course…let me travel to see the various areas of the surface! Oh wait. There’s a barrier.” Gaster called out mockingly.

              “I doubt that there weren’t other areas of the Underground to explore.” Persephone threw a weed at the smug looking monster, “Hearing you talk about being cooped up in one place for so long makes me want to get on my motorcycle and go for a trip.”

              “Have fun.” Gaster retorted flatly.

              “You’d be coming with me of course.” Persephone mused, “Mostly because watching you pout while riding is too much fun.”

              “I’m so glad to know my discomfort pleases you.” Gaster’s dry voice crackled with annoyed sarcasm.

              Their conversations often went like this. Persephone was a stubborn, wily old human that easily went toe-to-toe with him on various topics. She didn’t shy away from arguments and enjoyed knocking him down a few pegs when she had the opportunity. The two almost seemed to treat normal conversation like a battle field. Whoever got the last word in or won the argument won a scuffle, but the battle had still yet to end. Gaster did glean a good bit of information from her though.

              One day, Gaster watched and listened with fascination as Persephone spoke with someone in another language. She didn’t seem angry or agitated. In fact, she laughed a couple of times. Listening to the woman speak in what sounded like her native tongue reminded Gaster of all different monster tongues he would hear in the Underground. The differences almost made him yearn to be around other monsters again.

              “Are you enjoying staring at me?” Persephone questioned, holding her phone away from her mouth to question Gaster, “You seem to be at the very least.” Gaster immediately frowned at the tone of her voice, “And there’s the cranky Gaster I’m used to. What have I done this time?”

              Gaster remained silent. Persephone quickly said what to have been a good-bye to the person on the other end of the phone before patting the area next to her on the couch. Reluctantly, he sat down beside her. He had grown used to being physically closer to the woman over time, but he still didn’t find too much pleasure in it. Persephone looked happy about it though. Thus, he didn’t kick up too much of a fuss about it.

              “Now Gaster.” Persephone licked her thumb before scrubbing some oil off of his face with the wet appendage, “What’s wrong? You only furrow your brow that deeply when you’re very upset.”

              “I’m not upset.” Gaster shied away from the woman’s touch, “I was merely in thought.”

              “Must’ve not been happy thoughts then.” Persephone huffed.

              “I….I was thinking about being around other monsters again. That is all. In the Underground, people would speak the language of their people and of others without paying it much mind.” Gaster let his thoughts spill out slowly.

              “Do you want to go into Grayridge then? I’m sure Asgore and your sons would love to see you.” She offered.

              “No…” Gaster shuddered at the idea of returning to the bustling city, “That place is still far too loud for me to go to willingly.”

              “I see…Well…that offer of a road trip still stands if you start going stir crazy.” Persephone patted his back comfortingly, “I know more than a few routes that would take us through nice, quiet, lazy towns where you could relax- probably meet other monsters again too now that I think about it.”

              For half a second…Gaster honestly contemplated the offer. It seemed odd to him that she wanted to leave now of all times on a road trip. The two granddaughters she cared about were both engaged, one was pregnant. Everything a grandmother should’ve wanted was right there.

              “I’d hate to take you away from your family.” Gaster stood up awkwardly, “It would be wrong of me to do so when you’re already so old.”

              “I do have a life of my own you know.” Persephone scowled at him, “I love my grandchildren, but I am allowed to have my own desires.”

              “Still.” Gaster didn’t quite know what to say. Thus, he admitted defeat and skulked away, leaving the woman behind with her hollow victory.

              The issue of travelling didn’t come up again for a period of time. Persephone- despite being very stubborn and hard headed at times- never pushed the issue if she thought it truly bothered Gaster. The old scientist could tell that the woman didn’t enjoy being cooped up in the house though. The garden in the backyard practically doubled in size during the woman’s stir craze.

              Gaster couldn’t figure out why she was behaving so urgently though. She almost acted like something was coming, something she’d rather avoid. While he knew that she would probably give him some form of an answer if he asked, Gaster didn’t know if it was his place to. One could argue that they had become….friends during his stay, but he doubted that they had grown that close yet.

              _Enough Gaster._ He chided himself one day while working in his lab. _She’s a fully grown adult, hell even older technically. She’s capable of making her own decisions._

              He was working with delicate equipment when a loud clatter caught his attention. Persephone had been fixing the paint job on one side of the house, so the noise concerned him much more than it normally would’ve. Gaster quickly left his makeshift lab to locate the old woman and ensure her safety. Humans were very fragile the older they got, and falls that would only slightly bother a younger human could seriously hinder an older one.

              “Persephone?” Gaster called out, “Are you alright? I heard a clatter…”

              A low, pained groan answered him.

              He hurried even more.

              Persephone laid on her side near the toppled over ladder. Blood slowly carved a path down her face as her weary, trembling hand reached up to try and assess her injuries. One of the ladder’s legs had snapped, causing the whole thing to fall over on its side.

              “Persephone!” Gaster slid his hand under her head and used his forearm to support her neck. The woman groaned and winced, “Can you hear me?”

              “Yeah…” She gritted out.

              “Just give me a moment.” Gaster pulled forth all of the energy he could in order to mend the broken parts of the woman gently cradled in his arms, “I can heal this.”

              “No Gaster..” Persephone blindly reached up to shove him away, but her arms fell at her sides due to her pain. Gaster’s magic quickly assessed the damage- a shallow head injury, broken arm, bruised hip, dislocated ribs, bruises here and there- and began to repair it. He had to be extremely careful with the older woman’s immune system and natural healing process. There was no guarantee that he could safely navigate her healing process if he blindly just shoved magic into her injuries.

              He began to notice something odd once the severe injures had been healed. Persephone hadn’t reacted much despite the obvious pain she was in. She didn’t scream or curse. Instead, she watched him with cautious, burning brown eyes that made him more and more curious. That was when he began to notice that his magic had begun trying to heal something that wasn’t budging. No matter how hard he pushed and destroyed the excess tissue that wasn’t supposed to be there, more always seemed to be just around the corner.

              “Persephone….?” He breathed, realizing that there was something growing inside of her, something malignant and untreatable, “What’s all of this?”

              “This is why I didn’t want you to ever heal me.” Persephone grunted, sitting up straight. She wobbled a bit and had to sag against him even though she looked angry with him, “I knew you wouldn’t be able to miss it.”

              “That doesn’t answer my question.” Gaster’s voice grew quiet as he continued to try and remove the offending cells. Safely, he couldn’t do much more without bringing the older woman a lot of pain for little reward, “What is all of this Persephone? What’s growing inside you?”

              “Cancer.” Persephone coughed, “It runs strong in the Arietta family, so it’s no shock that I have it.”

              “Cancer…that’s…that what Josephine had at one point yes?” Gaster remembered Papyrus and Olivia mentioning the surly twin having to go get a check-up because of that disease, “Persephone…that’s…it’s…it’s lethal isn’t it?”

              “If I were twenty years younger and we had caught it earlier, no, not really. At my age and this late stage, it is.” Persephone nodded.

              “We need to get you to a hospital.” Gaster prepped himself to pick her up, “Now.”

              “No Gaster. I’ve already been to one.” Persephone finally had enough strength to pull away from him, “The only other option is to rot away in a hospital tied to dozens of machines. This way hurts, but at least I’m still out here in the outside world where I belong. I don’t want to be locked away in a sterile hell Gaster….Don’t try and put me in one either.”

              Gaster sat back on his heels as the two fell into silence.

              The doctor in him recognized that she should be receiving medical help immediately. While the chances of her survival were slim, they could at least extend her life…but….the man in him recognized what she was saying. Yes, her life expectancy would increase, but at the cost of her quality of life. If what he felt was any indication of how bad it was for her, he doubted it would get any better.

              “I don’t want to die in a hospital Gaster. I’m not asking for you to understand though. I just want you to respect my decision.” Persephone slowly stood, “I’m dying. It’s a simple as that. No point in belly aching over it.”

              “…the road trip…” Gaster started, unable to finish it himself.

              “Is it one last hurrah?” Persephone glared at him. He nodded, “Yes. Yes it is. I would like to see a small bit of the world one last time before I have to leave it. I can’t exactly just up and leave you here to rot on your own though.” Her face softened, “Don’t worry about it Gaster. Really.”

              “How can I not worry about it?” Gaster stood up, “Do your grandchildren know?” Her expression told him enough, “They don’t….do you just intend to die on them!?”

              “I don’t want to dampen their moods with the knowledge that I probably won’t be around much longer.” Persephone explained, “Tell me, if you knew that someone you loved was set to die within a few months, would you be able to be happy and enjoy yourself?” Gaster reluctantly shook his head, “I thought not. I don’t want them fretting, so just leave it be.”

              Gaster quietly watched the woman wobble into the house to get some painkillers.

              His mind raced with a thousand thoughts at once. He couldn’t save her. She refused medical treatment that could preserve her life more. His hands were- essentially- bound in this situation.

              It took him a few days of awkward silence to make a decision on the matter.

              “You mentioned knowing routes that would take us through quieter towns?” Gaster questioned over breakfast one morning. Persephone blinked up at him at the sudden communication. The two had barely exchanged two words the three days prior to that conversation, “Right?”

              “The road trip…” Persephone blinked, “I do. I know many.”

              “I would be…willing to be taken on one of them….as long as there is always the option to turn back if I get overwhelmed.” Gaster mumbled around a piece of toast.

              For the first time ever since he had moved in, she genuinely began to smile.

              “Do you mean that Gaster?” She questioned, leaning forward, “Really?”

              “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” Gaster snapped moodily.

              “Wait….don’t do this if you’re feeling pressured to do so.” Persephone warned, “I wouldn’t want you to go do something you won’t enjoy.”

              “I’ll be fine. Perhaps being away from the lab a bit will help me with some breakthroughs.” Gaster lied easily. He was already making steady progress, but he didn’t want to be the reason why Persephone died without seeing some part of the world she loved one last time.

              “We’ll need to pick a route then.” Persephone brightened with new life that Gaster hadn’t expected, “There are so many places to explore up here Gaster…it’s too bad I can’t show you all of them.” She chuckled.

              “Well….I have the feeling that won’t stop you from trying.” Gaster let a slow, slightly annoyed breath flow out of him, “This is supposed to be _relaxing_ yes? Why are you getting so worked up about it?”

              “Because it’s something fun, and I haven’t had fun in a while.” Persephone threw a piece of toast at him, “Let me enjoy myself a little Dr. Gaster.” She didn’t look angry though. No, she still looked happy- like he had given her something special, “Thank you for this…”

              “It’s not like it’s any skin off of my nose.” Gaster grumbled.

              “You don’t have one.” Persephone pointed out.

              “Exactly.” He blushed. The old saying had become habit with the late Dr. Alphys constantly saying it whenever Gaster asked more from him than the old monster could’ve offered.

              “What is that supposed to even mean?” Persephone chuckled before standing up to go find a map, “Honestly Gaster…”

              “Hmm…” Gaster made a face at her back as she left.

              _I hope I’m making the right choice._

He had agonized over what to do about this situation for too long. It was time to take action. He would have to try his best and enjoy himself though. Otherwise, Persephone would see the whole thing as pointless.

              “There are a lot of places we could go nearby that would still be exciting.” Persephone returned with a large map, “Let’s see…”

              Gaster watched as she began to point out all of the hotspots and interesting attractions nearby. Her entire body language shifted towards positivity while she spoke, growing more and more excited with each new location they could possibly visit. Gaster began to wonder if he might’ve gotten himself in over his head.

              “I promise I won’t take you to anywhere that gets too busy this time of year.” Persephone patted his back reassuringly, “If it ever becomes too much, home is just one teleport away right?”

              “Yes.” Gaster agreed automatically.

              He blinked once he noticed exactly what he had said.

              _Home…I guess this is home now…_


	4. A Nice Ring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> I've decided to forgo my usual 7 page long chapters for this story to let the chapters end where it's appropriate. Thus, this one is two pages shorter than usual (In other words, if you noticed this chapter is shorter than the others, you're not crazy).  
> Now, to shower and go to bed....

              Persephone Arietta had a way with people Gaster honestly found himself envying. She could easily slide into a conversation and act like she always belonged there, and people were always eager to give her a discount or simply talk.

              “How are you capable of doing that?” Gaster grumbled one day as she sat down beside him. The two were eating outside of a diner on a rather cheap looking picnic table. The food was quick and greasy, but Persephone insisted that it was delicious.

              “Doing what?” Persephone questioned, popping a fry into her mouth. The old woman still looked odd decked out from head to toe in leather and studs, but it wasn’t the weirdest outfit Gaster had ever seen her in.

              “Talk to people.” Gaster said before really thinking about it. He paused after the words tumbled out and made a soft noise of annoyance when he could practically sense the sarcastic response coming, “Not in the way you’re thinking.” He sighed, reluctantly deciding to test and see if the deep fried whatever in the plastic, paper lined basket was actually edible, “You just…assimilate into the crowd without much thought. That was what has me so curious.”

              “Hmm….I suppose it’s just the traveler’s charm.” Persephone mused. She chuckled a little at his annoyed frown, “What? I don’t know why people like me. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m not going to stay long enough to get buried in their business. Maybe it’s the fact that in some cases I’m new and mysterious. This isn’t the kind of thing you can just explain.” She shrugged.

              “Everything has an explanation.” Gaster countered, “Actions cause reactions, but actions tend to begin as preconceptions and ideas which are formed by environment and DNA. Thus, there is no such thing as impulsivity. Reasons can be found for any decision.”

              “Oh really?” Persephone cocked her head.

              “Really.” Gaster narrowed his eyes, “But you’ve gone and gotten me off topic. I’m not trying to argue about the underlying reasons for the actions people take. I wanted to discuss how _you_ seem to have no problem interacting with others- not how _they_ seem to have no trouble interacting with you.”

              “Are you asking me if I ever get nervous Gaster?” Persephone teased. Gaster gave her a flat look, “I guess I’m just used to being held under a microscope at this point. Once you attend hundreds of galas and have to watch your every breath, normal conversations like the ones I have on these road trips are a walk in the park. Not to mention the fact that I’m simply worldly. It’s not like I was chained to a desk like my sister or chained to a kitchen like my aunt. I’ve been able to wander, to see the world and meet the people in it. Really…it’s a wonderful thing.”

              “Hmph…I suppose experience could make communication easier.” Gaster mumbled to himself.

              “Do you want more experience talking with strangers Gaster?” Persephone took a sip of her drink, “If so, how about the next time we have to buy gas or food you speak to the person behind the register?”

              “How is that supposed to help?” Gaster discovered that the food actually wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be, “At all?”

              “Well, you’d be talking to someone you’ll more than likely never meet again, and if you mess up, you’ll more than likely never meet them again and can end the conversation quickly.” Persephone shrugged, “I’m just throwing ideas around Gaster. You don’t have to bite if you don’t like them you know.”

              “I’m perfectly capable of talking to people behind a cash register.” Gaster threw up one of his hands in exasperation, “I might’ve spent a long period of time sequestered away from contact, but I did live in the _very_ cramped Underground for my entire life. When I say talking to people, I mean how you can just walk up to a biker gang and have a thirty minuet conversation that doesn’t result in them chasing you out or running off themselves.”

              “Oh! You want to learn how to make new friends.” Persephone giggled a little, “Why didn’t you just say so?”

              “That is not what I meant.” Gaster could feel a headache coming on.

              “Well Gaster, despite what you may believe, I’m just a normal woman. If you want me to understand something, you kind of have to elaborate.” Persephone’s face became surprisingly serious, “You’ve got the vocabulary to articulate Gaster. I most certainly hear a lot of it when you’re angry with me. Why don’t you try putting it to better use instead?”

              Gaster’s mouth opened dumbly while Persephone finished eating without more fanfare.

              _Persephone 213      Gaster (Still) 0_

              “You act like I’m actually capable of arguing with you.” Gaster huffed, “It’s hard to argue when all of your arguments are being shot down like flies.”

              “Only if you don’t know how to recover from a few social missteps- which you don’t.” Persephone didn’t react to the dark scowl that crossed Gaster’s face, “It’s nothing some experience can’t fix you know.”

              “Oh, so now you’re offering to teach me how to argue?” Gaster found himself smiling nonetheless.

              “Sure. Why not?” Persephone shrugged, “It’d make our arguments much more fun if you could actually argue properly.”

              “You find our _arguments_ fun? How demented are you?” Gaster almost choked on his food.

              “I’ve never once claimed to be angelic.” Persephone reminded him.

              _I will never get used to this woman. I honestly don’t think a sane person would be able to._ Gaster rubbed a hand across his face, sending his glasses askew for a couple of seconds until Persephone fixed them for him.

              Despite Persephone acting more like a 20 year old, Gaster found himself enjoying their escapades across the area. All of the towns they visited were small and home to local wonders Gaster honestly did find interesting- much to Persephone’s amusement. She enjoyed the sightseeing, but not to the extent he did. His enthusiasm actually got high enough that Persephone purchased a small throw away camera.

              “Wouldn’t it be easier to just use your phone?” Gaster asked from where he was squatting down beside a small pond. A familiar flash followed by a series of clicking noises told him that she had taken yet another picture of him, “Persephone…”

              “It would, but I prefer this.” Persephone tucked the camera into her satchel and settled down beside him in front of the pond, “Call me old fashioned if you like. For a while, these cheap cameras were all the rage. The pictures aren’t exactly the best quality of course, but I like to imagine that it adds to the charm.”

              “Why continue to use something that’s obsolete?” Gaster huffed.

              “Well you’re still talking to me and taking my advice despite the fact I’m obsolete by most human standards.” Persephone nudged his shoulder with her own, “There’s nothing wrong with going old school from time to time. I thought monsters reused a lot of things to begin with?”

              “We did, but only out of necessity.” Gaster felt the familiar anger melting in his SOUL, “My parents often told stories of how life in the Underground started out. They lived like junkyard hooligans scrounging together whatever they could simply to survive. Eventually, alternative ways of living were found. Monsters are a caring people, so there was no division among classes once these new ways of living came forward. We all moved up together or not at all. Thus, progress was slow until everyone had at least a better basic way of living. From there, we could comfortably focus on the technological advancements you humans seem to particularly enjoy.”

              “Innovation born of necessity. Sounds like the story of the world.” Persephone sighed and looked up at the sky, “Why is it some of the best things in the world come around during the worst possible times?”

              “Because life is a cheating bitch- as you and your granddaughter have reminded me on occasion when I fell into melancholy.” Gaster mumbled petulantly. The memories of Persephone and Josephine just glowering at him whenever he was unnecessarily belly aching. He couldn’t decide if they were good ones or bad ones.

              “Ha…” Persephone began to chuckle, “I had no idea you were paying such close attention to us Gaster.” She coughed a little towards the end of her sentence. Gaster tensed and felt his magic flaring to life at his fingertips in case it was needed, “Put that shiny stuff away Gaster. I’m not about to drop dead yet. I still need to go to Joey’s wedding after all.”

              “And the other ones shortly after.” Gaster said, knowing just as she did that her chances of living that long were even slimmer than her chance of seeing Josephine’s wedding, “Why didn’t you get medical treatment sooner Persephone?”

              “I didn’t know I had it until it was too late.” Persephone ripped up some of the grass out of frustration as their old argument came back around again, “I only found out after it became too late to really do anything about it. Do you think I don’t want to be able to see my precious grandbabies walk down the aisle to men they love? Do you think I don’t want to be able to hold the twins once they’re born? There are so many things I have left to do Gaster. The simple fact of the matter is…I won’t get to do them. Monsters were once held back from their desires by a barrier. I’m held back by a barrier- my ailing health. There’s nothing I can do about it though, and constantly reminding me of all the wonderful things I’m going to miss just makes me want to strangle you.”

              “I’m sorry.” Gaster blinked at the sudden out pouring of emotion. Persephone hadn’t really ever been the type to openly be bitter about her issues, “I…suppose I didn’t think that through.”

              “You didn’t.” Persephone agreed, “And if I were a lesser woman, I would’ve gotten truly angry and stormed off.” She let out an annoyed breath and looked at Gaster, “I am grateful that you’re coming along with me on my final hurrah Gaster. Hopefully, it can do us both some good, but you need to be aware that _I’m_ aware of my situation. I’m not about to wake up one morning and forget that death is just around the corner.”

              “How could you?” Gaster agreed, remembering the times when humans fell into the Underground, and everyone was on alert. Humans could either be kind or be aggressive. Thus, everyone slept with one eye and ear open until a reputation was established, “I suppose I’m in denial that you’re dying.”

              “You’re in denial about me dying?” Persephone echoed, raising a brow.   

              “You are…” Gaster paused and tried to figure out how to say what he wanted to say, “…important to me. One of the few people on the surface I can honestly say I trust would always be important to me. I…I’m going to lose that when you die.” Gaster tucked his legs under his chin and glared out at the pond like it had made his life the miserable wreck that it was.

              “You’ll still have your king, and I know my girls will come around to helping you if I ask nicely.” Persephone leaned against him comfortingly. She didn’t insult him by offering empty hugs, and just her mere presence was enough to make his teeth quit grinding together so uncomfortably, “You’re not going to be alone when I’m gone Gaster.”

              “How do you know that?” Gaster muttered under his breath.

              “Because I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you don’t.” Persephone leaned over and kissed his cheek comfortingly. Then, with aching knees and a pained grunt, she pushed herself up from her sitting position and brushed off her pants, “Alright, come on. We’ve seen this place’s pretty pond. Yay. I’m more eager to try out their local favorite waffle house.”

              “You’re always eager to try out anything that includes food.” Gaster clucked his tongue and glared up at her.

              “Damn straight. I might not be growing anymore, but a woman’s still got to eat my good man.” Persephone held her hand out for him to grab onto it, “Let’s go Wing.”

              “Wing? When did I ever give you permission to call me by my first name?” Gaster gawked as she tugged him up into a standing position.

              “You call me Persephone all the time.” Persephone tapped his face, “I say ‘fair is fair’ dictates I get to call you Wing.”

              “But that just…my first name sounds ridiculous.” Gaster shook his head, “I have no idea what my parents were thinking when they named me, but Wing-“

              “Is a perfectly functional and alright name.” Persephone pinched his cheeks, “Don’t knock it. Just roll with it you old coot.”

              “Oh, so the old biddy is now calling the old man an old coot?” Gaster managed to get out around his cheeks being pulled and stretched by Persephone’s surprisingly strong fingers.

              “Mhm. She is. Maybe if he quit acting like a Mr. Mean Man Wanna Be, she wouldn’t have to.” Persephone finally released his face, “Come on Wing. Let’s go. Food awaits.”

              “Yes. Yes.” Gaster shook his head and trailed behind the woman as she walked back into town.

              _Wing._

_Persephone._

_…._

_Wing._

_Persephone._

_Wing and Persephone._

_Persephone and Wing…_

_That has a surprisingly good ring to it._


	5. Her Own Person

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> ...some Granny/Gaster fluffy times. I feel like this kind of confession fits the two of them- they're already both so odd. It just makes sense XD

              Gaster was aware that he had begun to fall for the human with limited time rather quickly. His analytical mind easily noted all of the things he would do or say differently with Persephone, and he often found himself comparing her to Verdana- though not in the way one would’ve expected. Instead of trying to rationalize away his feelings, the former royal scientist realized that his late wife would probably have encouraged the relationship if she could. Verdana had often worried about him being alone. The somber cloud of the lonely outcast that clung to him like a second skin in his younger years appealed to her soft heart, and she had been the one to encourage him, to accept him, to help him learn how to communicate.

              Her loss stripped him of the lessons he had learned from his wife. All of the little quotes she'd murmur against his lips before he’d head off to work disappeared as he drowned himself in work. Her various quirks became watery memories that he could barely recall while swimming in equations and blueprints. Those damaged memories became mere fragments of themselves after his time in the void. The gaps he would stumble upon during his attempts to remember the happy times he had with his family left him a shivering, pained mess- unwilling and unable to correctly process what was going on.

              It was in those moments Persephone most reminded him of Verdana.

              Gaster didn’t exactly have an area to break down at while on the road, so he often tried his best to pretend that he was fine. Eventually, Persephone- somehow- began to figure out his tells and would always seem to be there for him when he felt like splintering apart. She wasn’t very vocal or overly affectionate. She never lost that quiet charm as she sat beside him and let him mumble and vent in peace and quiet. Gaster felt somewhat bad about the fact that he was unloading all of his troubles onto her while not returning the favor.

              “Do you have anything you want to talk about?” He asked one night as they sat under a blanket of stars. Persephone had opted for the two of them to sleep on the cold ground in some meadow instead of finding a motel in the area, but Gaster didn’t really care. It was nice to be able to look up and see the real stars.

              “Hmm?” Persephone, who had begun to doze resting against his shoulder, blinked her eyes open.

              “It simply feels like I’m always telling you my problems, but you rarely divulge yours.” Gaster stumbled a bit with his words. He always had issues communicating with Persephone, and his new found feelings just made things even worse, “I…just wanted to make sure that despite what you’re going through, you’re…still…somewhat alright?”

              “How sweet of you Wing.” Persephone chuckled a little, “I’m fine despite the circumstances. It’s nice being away from the family drama for a little while- to not have to be ‘granny’ or ‘grandmother’ for ten minutes. I can be ‘Persephone’ for a little while.”

              “What’s the difference?” Gaster frowned at the stars above him.

              “The difference is ‘Granny’ is just so…exhausting emotionally.” Persephone sighed, actually sounding worn out and a bit bitter, “My girls are so precious to me. Seeing them hurt makes me hurt. Seeing them happy makes me a bit jealous I suppose. The typical “old woman envying her younger family members kind of jealousy” leaves me feeling guilty, and then I feel angry for feeling guilty which just makes me feel worse. Persephone on the other hand is just a woman that enjoys visiting places and seeing the world. She doesn’t have the weight of the expected wisdom that comes with age weighing her down. She doesn’t have to worry about things beyond her own passions. I prefer it when I can just be her for ten minutes…” Persephone snorted a little and leaned closer, “It’s why I like being around you even though we argue often. I don’t have to be ‘Granny’. I can just be me.”

              “I-I see…” Gaster felt himself blushing, thankful that it was too dark for her human eyes to see his expression very well.

              “What brought on this line of thinking though?” Persephone didn’t go back to dozing, surprisingly.

              “Whatever do you mean?” Gaster frowned.

              “You don’t ever really initiate conversation out of the blue. You were thinking about something. What was it?” Persephone prodded his side with one of her skinny, aged fingers, “Come on. I promise not to laugh at you.”

              “Why would you assume it was something embarrassing to begin with?” Gaster griped.

              “Because your neck is so hot. I can tell you’re blushing.” Persephone teased.

              “Gah.” Gaster recoiled too quickly, sending Persephone falling into his lap laughing, “You should not be allowed to have a sense of touch that well developed!”

              “Monsters always emit heat when they blush.” Persephone laughed, “You don’t have as much water in you as we do. Thus, you’re warmer and more prone to temperature changes. That’s how I can tell when your mood swings south- you literally become colder.”

              “…” Gaster let out an annoyed growl. Persephone didn’t move from where she had stretched out with her head on his lap, “I take it you intend on staying there?” She let out a hum of approval at the idea, “I’m not a sentient piece of furniture.” She opened one eye to wink at him, “Honestly.”

              The two sat in silence after that. Persephone waited patiently for Gaster to gather his thoughts. She hummed a soft tune during his brooding session. Again, she reminded him of Verdana. The song she was humming had a peppier beat, but the simple action alone jogged some parts of his memory. Verdana’s soft voice echoing quietly through the house while she tended to the household duties or worked on their garden echoed in his mind, almost reducing him to a mess because he had forgotten it in the first place.

              “I was thinking about my late wife.” Gaster finally admitted, “I think the two of you probably would have gotten along if she were still alive.”

              “We wouldn’t have.” Persephone responded. Gaster felt offense bubbling in him.

              “And pray tell why not?” His voice came out as a slight hiss.

              “What woman would be able to get along with another woman that wanted to bed her husband?” Persephone opened her eyes slightly to raise a brow at him, “I wouldn’t blame her though. Then again, you’d probably be a very different man if she were still alive, so we’re both just hypothesizing at the moment.”

              Gaster’s mind broke a little bit.

              “W-Wha…” His face had turned a lovely shade of purple, “You…well…” Gaster let out a huff to try and calm himself down, “Your granddaughters’ monster fetishes make more sense now.”

              Persephone laughed again.

              “I thought you promised not to laugh at me.” Gaster grumbled, tugging at the some of the grass under his hand in agitation.

              “I promised not to laugh at what your reason for prying into my inner thoughts was. I never promised to not laugh if you made a witty comment.” Persephone stretched her legs out and grunted when one of her legs popped painfully, “Now, what made you think of your wife?”

              “You mostly.” Gaster admitted, looking for constellations among the stars, “The two of you are somewhat similar…you’re simply more brash than she ever was.”

              “Oh? I’m ‘brash’ now?” Persephone glared at him a little.

              “You haven’t exactly been subtle.” Gaster grunted a little when her elbow slammed into his gut, “My point exactly.” He rolled his eyes.

              “Hmph…” Persephone crossed her arms.

              “I never said it was a bad thing.” Gaster said exasperatedly. Persephone could be very hard to please when she fell into a funk, “You’re simply more direct. That kind of earnest honesty is respectable.”

              “Well it’s most certainly better than being an evasive bitter doctor that scowls all the time.” Persephone sighed while Gaster made an annoyed face, “Be glad you have a handsome face. Were you any uglier, the women who want to throw themselves at you would probably find you not worth the effort.”

              “What women?” Gaster blinked, “So far, you’ve been the only one to express that kind of interest.”

              “Have you seriously not been paying attention?” Persephone’s eyes widened, “Gaster, we’ve passed around fifty women that would’ve _loved_ to get you between the sheets.” She chuckled, “Honestly…”

              “I sincerely doubt that.” Gaster leant back on his palms to try and hide his blush from her in a more effective manner.

              “Doubt me all you want. I know I’m right. Kind of hard to miss the stares and small ‘I want to have sex with him’ dances I’ve seen women do.” Persephone was still chuckling a little.

              Silence came back once more only to be broken by Persephone humming something once more.

              Gaster enjoyed the silent concert as he marveled at the area around him. Sadly, this would be the last night away from their home. They had been on the road for months, happily growing closer and enjoying the sights. All good things must come to an end however, and Gaster knew better than anyone that Persephone’s limited time wasn’t extending any. He was glad that she got to have her last hurrah before she went. She visited old places and discovered new ones all while dragging him along- a reluctant and happy partner in crime. The mischief they got into created memories he never wanted to lose, dreams he never wanted to forget.

              “Am I just cursed to lose all the women I love?” He griped aloud.

              “…hmm…I think Verdana and I would both appreciate that sentencing sounding more like “I was blessed to have them for as long as I did” instead.” Persephone opened her eyes, “Nothing lasts forever Gaster. Maybe it’s because humans are such a short lived species…but we’re used to losing things at this point.”

              “I’m tired of losing things though.” Gaster felt somewhat like a child in that moment, greedy to keep the things that made him happy close at hand.

              “You can lose something physically, but it’ll always still be here.” Persephone tapped her chest, “Even if it fades away from here.” She tapped her head.

              “How many fortune cookies do you eat a day again?” Gaster cocked his head. She poked his chin spitefully.

              “You make yourself a very hard man to like Dr. Gaster.” Persephone scolded him, wagging her finger to add to the effect.

              “So?” He shrugged.

              “…ha…” Persephone began to laugh again.

              Gaster realized then and there that he would _have_ to cherish any time he had left with her. It wasn’t exactly something they had in spades.

              “Hey Wing.” Persephone got up with a slight groan and popped her back before turning to him and offering her hand, “Dance with me.”

              “There isn’t any music.” He pointed out.

              “So?” She arched a brow and teased, “Scared you have two left feet?”

              “I don’t have feet anymore.” Gaster wriggled his ‘feet’.

              “Oh hush...” Persephone reached down and tugged him up by his hands, “This is the kind of night where you have to dance.”

              “Says who?”

              “Says me.”

              “Not a very credible source.”

              “ _Huuussshhh._ ”

              Gaster fell silent with a small grin on his face.

              Yes, Persephone reminded him a lot of Verdana, but she was also her own person- that was something he found himself being reminded of _constantly_.


	6. Life's a Cheating Bitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> bad things happen at the best of times, the worst of times, and the most mundane of times.

              Persephone’s room had a unique scent to it. She had more than a few candles she’d light at the same time, creating an odd mixture of different aromas that blended surprisingly well. Gaster had been annoyed by the cloying scents at first, but he slowly got used to it as time passed. It wasn’t as though the scents were so heavy he couldn’t take a breath. Persephone also used a very distinct shampoo that soaked her pillowcase in its gentle scent that would be easy to miss in the room….well…easy to miss if he didn’t often wake up with his face crushed into her pillow.

              Gaster stretched out lazily and tugged her silk robe closer. He could actually sleep when the two of them were together, but whenever she was gone, he tossed and turned relentlessly. Thus she had taken to leaving her silk robe behind when she got out of bed to do something in order to help him catch more sleep.

              _“You worry me Wing.” Persephone clucked her tongue as she tended to her garden, “I know you can go much longer without sleep in comparison to humans, but you’re starting to look fatigued more often.”_

_Gaster cracked open one of his eyes from where he dozed in the shadow of his shed. His whole body slumped with the desire to crawl into the nearest bed and be dead to the world. His mind still raced with all of the things he had to get done to revive the bloodlines of his people however. Even just slumping outside of his shed-lab in the late afternoon warmth couldn’t help him calm his thoughts down enough to actually get proper sleep._

_“There is simply too much to do…and so little time to do it.” Gaster mumbled, voice cracking with sleep._

_“Gaster.” Persephone laughed, “You’ve got all the time in the world.”_

_“No. I really don’t.” Not if he wanted her to see his people revived- which he_ desperately _did. Neither of them knew which day would be the last, which hour would be final, which minute would hear her last breath, and that lack of knowledge ate him up inside more than anything._

_“You do.” Persephone argued splashing him with some of the water from her watering can, “You’ve got plenty of time to keep moving forward, make new bridges…hell….you might even fall in love again.” Persephone smiled at him._

_“I doubt that.” Gaster could already sense the depression he would slam down into after her loss. It bit at his mind and left his hands trembling whenever he thought about it too much._

_“I bet you will.” Persephone winked at him, “You know me. I’ll be smiling up from hell and trying to play cupid.”_

_And there it was again- Persephone’s internal hatred towards herself that rarely reared its ugly head when they were together. Anytime it did, Gaster felt the urge to scream at her for such madness, but he recognized that would do nothing but start a screaming match- a needless one at that. He tried his best to communicate to her how he felt through small things- brief kisses to the temple, her favorite tea already made when she came in for the afternoon, random flowers appearing in places she frequented- due to her tendency to reject large actions, but it seemed that no matter how hard he tried…he would never be able to really express to her how much she meant to him._

_“I hate it when you talk like that.” Gaster sighed quietly. Humans and their heaven and hell always tended to bug him when it came to Persephone. It felt wrong that for a person to reach paradise they had to sell their SOUL by giving up the vices that mingle with their virtues to make them their own unique person._

_“I know.” Persephone put her empty watering can down and walked over to him, “So let’s quit talking. You need sleep Gaster.” She cupped his face with one of her hands and rubbed her thumb across his cheek, “Your eye bags have eye bags.”_

_“That makes no sense.” Gaster mumbled leaning into her touch and allowing her to guide his head to her shoulder, “Skeletons-“_

_“Hush.” Persephone rubbed the top of his head, “I thought we weren’t talking anymore.”_

_“You made that decision…without… my….in…put…” Gaster fell asleep to the familiar scent of sweat, earth, and shampoo that helped keep away his nightmares._

              Gaster slowly sat up in bed and looked around the room. His own personal effects had slowly creeped into it as the two grew closer and slept together more often. It was odd to find his manuals snuggled between her books of various genres. It was strange to find pieces of their clothing slowly accumulating in small piles throughout the room, mingled together to keep piles from becoming lakes. The whole situation reminded him of his life with Verdana, and more often than not, something new would jog an old memory he had believed long forgotten. The situation also left him with a bitter taste in his mouth.

              He would lose this bliss at some point. It wouldn’t be a gradual fading of it either. No. It would be ripped from him.

              “How long are you just going to laze around in bed?” The soft chuckle that came from the doorway caught his attention at an embarrassingly quick speed. Persephone stood in one of her old night gowns holding two mugs of coffee, “Not that I’m miffed about it. I’m just wondering if we need to take you to a doctor.”

              “I was up late last night.” Gaster accepted the cup of coffee offered to him, “It’s perfectly reasonable that I would sleep in.”

              “Not this late though.” Persephone tapped his forehead, “It’s almost lunch.”

              Gaster almost choked on his coffee. Persephone patted his back while he tried to clear his throat.

              “You aren’t already dressed?” Gaster wheezed, looking at her night gown.

              “I felt like just staying in and knitting today. I need to finish that blanket for Joey anyways. Her wedding is only two days away you know.” Persephone walked over to his nightstand as he took another sip of coffee. She put down her half empty mug in order to pick up his glasses and situate them on Gaster’s face. Gaster closed his eyes and let out a sound of approval when Persephone kissed his aching forehead.

              “I had forgotten.” He admitted.

              “Wing.” Persephone sighed, pinching his cheeks, “I bought you a day planner for a reason you know. It would be good for you to actually use it.”

              “….Do you know where it is?” Gaster asked quietly, looking directly down into his cup as Persephone let out a low, annoyed sound.

              “Honestly…” Thankfully, she began to laugh, “You always misplace things Wing.” She bent down just a hair to kiss him before pulling back, “I’ll look for it today. Are you sure you’re feeling well?”

              “I’m fine.” Gaster assured her, nodding quietly, “I still need to grab a shower though.”

              “You most certainly do.” Persephone agreed. Her nose wrinkled a little, and Gaster realized she had been breathing through her mouth the whole time, “The oil you use on the tanks smells atrocious Wing.” She laughed, gagging a little when she accidentally got a whiff of him.

              “Forgive me for having obnoxious chemicals.” Gaster rolled his eyes, “I’ve warned you time and time again that I can’t control how much I get splashed.”

              “True, but you don’t usually end up using equipment that smells this bad either.” Persephone patted his shoulder, “You’ll be fine once you scrub yourself off and get some soap into your pores. Take your time though. Get those kinks out of your muscles.” She rubbed the back of his neck soothingly, working free some of the stress he had building up in him, “Okay?”

              “Alright.” Gaster nodded, smiling briefly, “I take it you’re going to be starting lunch?”

              “Mhm. It’s my turn today. You’re on supper duty though, so don’t be late.” Persephone warned him.

              “I…think I might simply join you in the living room today.” Gaster admitted. He had been drowning under all of the work he had stacked up in his lab; thus, the idea of a break actually didn’t make him disgusted. His brain recognized that he would get nothing done if he became a slouching, bitter mess incapable of doing even the most simple of things. Besides, spending time with Persephone was always a good thing, “If you don’t mind.”

              “Of course not.” Persephone smiled and kiss his cheek, “Come join me after you get your shower. I’ll make sure to flood the living room with air freshener.”

              Gaster scowled and ran his fingers across her waist to make her giggle as a kind of punishment for the teasing. Wordlessly, he and Persephone broke apart to tend to the things they needed to do.

              Domestic bliss helped him through the migraines, the nightmares, the grief.

              Living with her had allowed him to build up better connections with his sons through her granddaughters, and their road trip had helped Gaster figure out how to better communicate with others. He still had much to learn though. There were so many things he didn’t understand, couldn’t understand on his own- not after all that he had been through.

              The shower was nice and hot. Persephone was fonder of cold showers, and Gaster often had to scold her for staying in a cold shower so long that her lips turned blue. He tried his best to heal her as the cancer spread throughout her body. One man could only do so much. He found himself wondering if she would survive to see her granddaughter’s wedding at all.

              Gaster enjoyed his shower and got dressed for what should’ve been a lazy day.

              It wasn’t going to be one.

              He’d go to the living room to find Persephone on the floor- not breathing, no pulse.

              He’d push magic through her body in an attempt to revitalize the tissue before desperately taking her to a human hospital. They worked for hours trying to revive her, trying to save her. The doctors were enraged that she had gone so long without treatment and tried to blame him for her condition. He knew it wasn’t his fault though. Persephone was her own person. She made the decisions regarding her life whether he liked them or not.

              Thus, the words of irate humans rolled off of him.

              They called the cops on him for some reason or another. What harm a broken monster could was beyond Gaster at that time, but he didn’t fight when he was led away from the hospital that held Persephone’s corpse. He just felt numb.

              Numb.

              That was an apt way to describe it.

              Once again, something he valued had been ripped from him mercilessly.       

              _Life’s a cheating bitch._


	7. Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Full disclaimer/links can be found in Ch.1
> 
> is this more artsy than usual? yes, but I like trying new writing styles. I also didn't want Gaster to just immediately bounce back ya know? Pain hurts for a while. Still, he can move forward at least.

              Persephone’s grave sat alone in a small cemetery within Grayridge. The cemetery was new and intended only for members of the Arietta family that died within the Mt. Ebott area. Persephone had been the first person buried there. It felt wrong to Gaster that she was by herself, but he knew that she’d only be alone for a few decades. The Arietta family was large. Chances were she’d be joined soon enough by other members of her extensive family. Still…he simply wished that he could have more time with her.

              Gaster understood Josephine’s desire to keep the power of LOADING from going to her head. That didn’t mean knowing that there was no chance for him to see Persephone again didn’t leave him bitter. He had tried his best at the wedding, had walked her down the aisle, had forced a smile once or twice. His SOUL still rested heavily in his chest, aching with each breath he took alone.

              After the LOAD, they had a specific day and a vague time. Thus, Gaster and Persephone enjoyed some time together while the Newmore sisters scrambled to get to their matriarch’s side. It had…hurt…so much.

              _“I see…” Persephone chuckled while Gaster bandaged her arms, “Honestly Joey…” She sighed._

_Gaster said nothing._

_“Wing…” Persephone called to him. He again said nothing and simply continued to treat her arms. Persephone let out a low, annoyed sigh, “Wing. You knew this was coming. We both did.”_

_Silence._

_“I’m sorry you have to go through this twice Wing, but shutting yourself off won’t be productive.” Persephone tugged her arms away and sat up in the bed. Gaster sat beside her, still mulling over what would happen in the next two days with a slowed down mind, “Wing….” Persephone stroked his face calmly._

_“How can you be so calm?” The words rushed out of him before he could stop them. He hated how harsh they sounded against his own ears, how accusatory they sounded in the space between them. It made him feel pathetic and petty._

_“I’m not calm.” Persephone snorted, holding a hand up to his face. He could feel her fingers tremble against his cheek, “I thought months of knowing this day would come would help but…Now I’m just scared….” Persephone sighed, “Whoever thinks death is easy really needs a reality check.” Her normally clear laughter shook uncontrollably a little._

_For the first time since Gaster ever met her, he saw Persephone Arietta cry._

_If his arms would be enough to keep death from taking her before either of them were truly ready, they wouldn’t be in the mess they found themselves in. Persephone still seemed to draw strength from his presence though, slowly building herself back up as she mumbled almost incoherently in her mother tongue. Gaster never realized how frail she had gotten. She always seemed so strong…perhaps that strength kept him from seeing her weakening, worsening condition. He held her close and desperately wished that Josephine hadn’t LOADED. It was almost more painful this way._

_Persephone carefully reassembled herself before her granddaughters arrived. Gaster found himself sitting outside alone, pulling himself back together. It had been so hard to hold his tongue when the sisters arrived. He kept his inner vitriol to a minimum however. In all honesty, Josephine Newmore had much more restraint than he ever could. He would abuse that kind of power easily and readily if he had it, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. He felt disgusted with himself for it though._

_Speaking with Nadia Newmore gave him some hope. She wasn’t too terrible- at least, not as bad as how Persephone often described her._

              Gaster heard his phone beep in his pocket. He knew that it was probably one of the sisters trying to contact him out of concern. When he discovered that Persephone had left _him_ her home, he broke down into tears. She hadn’t called it ‘her’ home though. She had called it ‘theirs’. The Newmore sisters and- surprisingly- his sons were very concerned for his mental state after she passed. Asgore and his Newmore sister often checked up on Gaster when Papyrus couldn’t, and Sans actually initiated contact with him.

              He was still hurting though.

              After responding to yet another concerned text, Gaster reluctantly left Persephone’s grave. He didn’t want to leave. If he had it his way, she would’ve been buried on her property where she belonged, but humans were picky about how and where they housed their dead. Persephone was buried in a new, foreign place because that was ‘proper’ human behavior. It felt wrong to Gaster, but he was used to the monster way of doing things. He had to keep reminding himself that humans didn’t turn to dust after they died.

              His phone beeped again.

 **Josephine Newmore (Joey):** Gaster. You positive you don’t want to stay at our place from now on? Sans is fine with it you know.

              He glowered at the phone.

 **W.D. Gaster:** No. I am fine

              The lie was easy when typed out.

              The house was empty when he returned to it. Old pictures from her past flooded the halls with faces he didn’t recognize. There was a list as long as his arm of chores that needed to be done. He also had dozens of things to do in his lab.

              His lab needed his attention.

              So did her home- the last relic of her left.

              He made the obvious choice.

              While cleaning up, he eventually found some of her old journals. She tended to write them in French and German, so he had no idea what any of them said. He recognized his name popping up here and there. He also found a box filled with the developed photos of him and Persephone. His SOUL felt like it was ripping in two as he flipped through the images.

              She took a lot of pictures of him. She very rarely appeared in any of them. Astonishingly, all of the candid photos were actually pretty good- beautiful even. Gaster could tell immediately that she had taken great care to get him at just the right angle, the right distance, each and every time. He clenched the photos in his hands, sinking against the side of the bed.

              He had a lot of thinking to do, so he thought.

              He thought.

              He thought.

              And he thought even more.

              Days turned into weeks easily, and he eventually got the phone call about Thanksgiving.

              He knew Persephone would be upset if her tradition of gathering her family in her home was broken. Thus, he made a decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret. After he assured Josephine that he didn’t mind hosting, he went back out to his lab for the first time in a while. Small fetuses were developing properly in the tanks, and Gaster felt new tears well up.

              She hadn’t lived to see the thing she needed to.

              He rested his hand against the tank.

              _No…_

_She…she saw…she saw enough…enough to be happy._

              The realization hurt him once more, but it was the good kind. The kind that would let him move forward. The pain wouldn’t leave in a day or a week or a month or a year or a decade, but it would fade eventually, lessen to a dull, constant throb.

              He hurt.

              He would hurt.

              But he was alive.

              He could be alive, alive for her.

              He had a reason to keep going.

              So, onwards, alone and uncertain, he went.


End file.
